14-3-3 proteins activate Pseudomonas exotoxins-S and -T by chaperoning a hydrophobic surface

Nat Commun. 2018 Sep 17;9(1):3785. doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-06194-1.

Abstract

Pseudomonas are a common cause of hospital-acquired infections that may be lethal. ADP-ribosyltransferase activities of Pseudomonas exotoxin-S and -T depend on 14-3-3 proteins inside the host cell. By binding in the 14-3-3 phosphopeptide binding groove, an amphipathic C-terminal helix of ExoS and ExoT has been thought to be crucial for their activation. However, crystal structures of the 14-3-3β:ExoS and -ExoT complexes presented here reveal an extensive hydrophobic interface that is sufficient for complex formation and toxin activation. We show that C-terminally truncated ExoS ADP-ribosyltransferase domain lacking the amphipathic binding motif is active when co-expressed with 14-3-3. Moreover, swapping the amphipathic C-terminus with a fragment from Vibrio Vis toxin creates a 14-3-3 independent toxin that ADP-ribosylates known ExoS targets. Finally, we show that 14-3-3 stabilizes ExoS against thermal aggregation. Together, this indicates that 14-3-3 proteins activate exotoxin ADP-ribosyltransferase domains by chaperoning their hydrophobic surfaces independently of the amphipathic C-terminal segment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • 14-3-3 Proteins / chemistry*
  • 14-3-3 Proteins / metabolism
  • ADP Ribose Transferases / chemistry*
  • ADP Ribose Transferases / genetics
  • ADP Ribose Transferases / metabolism*
  • Bacterial Toxins / chemistry*
  • Bacterial Toxins / genetics
  • Bacterial Toxins / metabolism*
  • Binding Sites
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Escherichia coli / genetics
  • GTPase-Activating Proteins / chemistry*
  • GTPase-Activating Proteins / genetics
  • GTPase-Activating Proteins / metabolism*
  • Host-Pathogen Interactions
  • Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Chaperones / chemistry
  • Molecular Chaperones / metabolism
  • Protein Conformation
  • Protein Domains
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / pathogenicity
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / genetics

Substances

  • 14-3-3 Proteins
  • Bacterial Toxins
  • ExoT protein, Pseudomonas aeruginosa
  • GTPase-Activating Proteins
  • Molecular Chaperones
  • ADP Ribose Transferases
  • exoenzyme S